Folding bed



J. A. DEWEY FOLDING BED Feb. 4, 1936.

2 Sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 25, 1931 YEIQ' u l I wwppl INVENTOR. BY Jos/nH H. DEWEY A TTORNE Y J A. DEWEY F'db. 4, 1936.

FOLDING BED ori inal Fil ed Sept. 25. 1931 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSIAH A DEWEY W W. ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE FOLDING BED Application September 25, 1931, Serial No. 565,126 Renewed October 14, 1935 4 Claims.

The present invention particularly relates to that type of folding bed which is designed to be upended for an out-of-the-way disposal.

An object of the invention is to provide a bed structure of the type described which, when the bed is folded or upended, extends to a minimized height which is less than the extended length of the bed.

Another object is to provide a folding bed structure wherein pressure at an end of the extended bed may not operate to effect a folding thereof.

A further object is to provide an improved folding bed structure having its moving parts counterbalanced to facilitate a manipulation of the bed to or from its folded position.

A general object is to provide a bed of the class described which is particularly simple in structure and positive in operation, and comprises a minimum number of parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation disclosing a folding bed embodying the invention and extended in position for use.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bed, a portion of the bedding being broken away.

- Figure 3 is a head end elevation of the bed.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the bed in its folded or upended condition.

Figures 5, 6 and '7 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken at 55 in Figure 2, and respectively showing the bed. structure upended, inintermediate position, and in fully lowered position.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary and partly sectional view at 88 in Figure 5.

As particularly illustrated, the features of the present invention are incorporated in the structure of a bed having a bottom H, a head frame l2, and a foot frame [3. The bottom II, it is noted, comprises head and foot sections l4 and I5 respectively which are hingedly related and respectively carry spring assemblies l6 and I! on which bedding I8 is arranged to be carried.

The foot frame section I3 provides supporting feet and is arranged for vertical disposal as a support means for the foot of the bed when the bed is disposed for use (Fig. 1). When the bed structure is folded, as particularly shown in Figure 3, the foot frame 13 is arranged for disposal flat against the bedding [8 for clamping the foot portion of the same in place; it will be understood that other disposal of the foot frame might be provided for, but that the present arrangement permits a most advantageous use and disposal of the frame.

The section l5 of the bottom H is particularly shown as comprising longitudinal members l9 connected by cross members 2| to provide a rectangular base for the spring assembly 15. The members l9 and 2| are, in the present instance, formed of angle iron.

By particular reference to Figures 3 and 8, it will be seen that the head frame comprises a member 22 in the form of an inverted U of tubular material having the side portions 23 thereof providing post portions of the head frame and connected by cross bars 24. Members 25 extend perpendicularly and rigidly from the bottom ends of the posts 23, said last members comprising the section II of the bottom and jointly supporting the spring assembly l6.

As particularly brought out in Figure 8, each member 25 is of angle section and a vertical portion 26 of the members 25 is engaged in a kerf 21 provided in the post 23 and. wherein it is rigidly secured by means of bolts 28 and 29 engaged transversely therethrough and through the post. Preferably, and as shown, filler blocks 3| are provided within the post and at the bolts 28 and 29.

It will now be particularly noted that the members l9 and 25 lie in the same vertical plane and actually constitute portions of side rails of the complete bed bottom. A plate 32 is fixed to the inner end of each member l9, said plate being generally triangular and vertically disposed and extending laterally from the member H! to a pivotal connection with the inner end of the member 25, the latter number being disposed somewhat above the level of the former when the bed structure is extended for use. The aforesaid pivotal connection of the plate 32 and member 25 is effected through a suitable pivot pin 33.

The bed structure now described is mounted on a primary support, said support being shown in the present instance as comprising a carriage 34 having caster wheels 35 to permit a shifting of the bed structure when the same is in folded or upended condition. The carriage 34 essentially comprises planar and upright end members 36 connected at the bottoms thereof by means of cross members 31, the carriage being rectangular in plan. At a distance from the inner ends thereof, the members l9 are pivoted to the carriage members 35 by means of pivot pins 38 whereby the members l9 and associated bed portions may be swung between horizontal and vertical positions. The pivot pins 38 are disposed at such a distance above the bottom of the carriage as to provide for a swinging of the inner end portion of the member l9 entirely within the space defined between the carriage elements 36. For a reason to hereinafter become apparent, the pivoting of the members [9 is made as low as possible in the carriage structure. For a permanent installation of the bed, the wheels 35 may be omitted and the carriage 34 fixed to a floor or other support.

Means are provided for maintaining the members 25 of the bottom frame section [4 horizontal while the frame section I5 is swung between its limiting positions about the axis defined by the pivots 38. As particularly shown, parallel links 39 of like length connect the posts 23 with the carriage elements 35, the bolts 28 and 29 are arranged to provide the necessary pivotal connection at said posts, and pivot pins 4| connect said links to the elements 36. In this manner, the section M is arranged to be maintained in horizontal disposal during a raising or lowering thereof through a shifting of the pins 33 as the section 15 is swung to and between its horizontal and upended positions. By reference to Figure 8, it is seen that the bolts 29 engage the ends of the lower bar 24 as a securing means therefor.

In order to permit the aforesaid control of the disposal of the section [4, the effective lengths of the links 39 equal the distance between the pivot pins 33 and 38. Furthermore, the lines joining the pins 33 and 38 will be constantly parallel to the longitudinal axes of the links 39, this relation being clearly indicated in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive. Since the members l9 are to be swung through ninety degree arcs between the limiting positions thereof, and the links 39 are similarly displaced, the lines joining the pivot pin 25 and 38 preferably make forty five degree angles with the plan of the section 15; in this manner, the horizontal shift of the head section I4 is minimized.

The spring assemblies l6 and I! are preferably arranged to provide upper supporting surfaces which are coplanar, or substantially so, when the bed is extended for use. When the bed structure is folded, a right angle bending of the bedding IS with the bed bottom is arranged to be effected whereby part of the bedding remains horizontal. It is noted that during movement of the section l5 between its limiting positions, the opposed upper edges of the spring assembly remain at substantially the same level whereby the bedding is not appreciably shifted with respect to the supporting spring portions which it engages. The relation of said spring edges for the two extreme positions of the bed is indicated in Figure '7, said edges being separated to the greatest degree when the bed is in extended position; the degree of separation shown is not found to appreciably affect the desired bending of the bedding as particularly shown. Since the disclosed spring assembly I 6 is laterally shiftable at the top thereof it is obvious that the aforesaid spring edges may be linked together whereby to fixedly space said edges. It is seen that the spring assembly I6 is of somewhat less depth than the assembly [5.

It will now be particularly noted that the bending of the bed bottom and bedding provided for in the described structure, and that the lowering of the same as the bed is upended, produce a folded structure which is decidedly shorter than the extended bed length; in this manner the folded bed is of far less than the usual height of such structures and may be more readily handled. Where such a bed is to be placed in a closet or moved from room to room, the door height may be minimized or need be no higher than usual. Another advantage of the minimized height of the folded bed lies in the fact, that it will freely pass under lighting fixtures placed at usual heights.

In the present structure, the head section [4 is arranged to be constantly disposed in a vertical plane. For facilitating a manipulation of the bed structure, the head 54 is preferably weighted as by a slab 42 of heavy material, such as concrete, said weight engaged by and between the bars 22. The weight of the slab 42 is preferably such as to generally counterbalance the swinging portions of the bed and bedding whereby a minimum of effort is required for swinging the bed between its limiting positions. The provision of a weight counterbalance is also understood to make the folded assembly more stable against tilting. By imprisoning a pillow 43 between the bedding and head frame !2 as the head frame is raised, the head end portion of the bedding is held against the spring assemblies for the described bendin thereof.

By reference to the disclosed structural relations it is to be understood that a downward pressure at the head end of the bed equal to the weight of one or two persons may not create a sufficient action on the swinging bed portions to raise the same from an extended position thereof. In this manner the need for any special fastening or locking means to secure the bed in extended position is avoided.

Preferably, the carriage 34 is no larger in plan than the largest plan section through the folded bed structure and directly underlies such section whereby the bed may occupy a minimum of floor space when folded or upended in the manner shown and described.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a folding bed, a primary support, a bed bottom having planar and cooperative sections hingedly connected at mutually opposed extremities thereof, means pivotally mounting a said section on said support for swinging to an upended position about an axis intermediate thereof and parallel to the axis of hinging of the sections, the plane of said axes being angularly related to that of the latter said section, and link means pivotally mounting the other said section on said support whereby this section is arranged to be and remain horizontal during the said swinging of the first section.

3. In an article of furniture, a primary support, a supported structure having cooperative sections hingedly connected, means pivotally mounting a said section on said support for swinging to an upended position about an axis fixedly related to the said section and parallel to and spaced from the axis of hinging oi the sections whereby the latter said axis is lowered as the section is upended, and link means connecting the other section to said support whereby the latter section remains horizontal and is lowered with the latter said axis.

3. In an article of furniture, a primary support, a supported structure having planar sections arranged for mutually parallel disposition when the article of furniture is in condition for use and directly hinged to each other for relative rotation about a common axis, means pivotally mounting a. said section on said support for swinging between horizontal and upended positions about an axis fixedly related to the said section and spaced from the said axis of hinging of the sections, and link means connecting the second said section with said support in such manner that the latter section is restrained to a fixed angular relation to the support for all positions of the first section.

4. In an article of furniture, a primary support, a supported structure having sections hingedly connected, means pivotally mounting a said section on said support for swinging between limiting positions thereof and about an axis spaced from the axis of hinging of the sections. the plane of said axes fixedly related to the first section, and a link connecting the second said section with said support whereby said link is parallel to said plane for all positions of the first section and the second section is supported for movement in fixed angular relation to said support for all said positions of the first section. 

